The Spirit
by shi-chan
Summary: Due to a tragic accident, Mitsui falls in to a coma and nearly looses his eye sight. But when he wakes up, things change. He sees things that people don't see - and only one person believes him ... (Part 7 Up)
1. Part 1

**THE SPIRIT 1**

There were people talking.

At first, they were so far that he could not hear them quite clearly. But time after time, after sitting in the dark, dark room, wearing completely nothing and huddled in a fetal position, he could finally hear the words clearly. He understood them, but was confused. He had his eyes closed in that dark room, unmoving, his wrists and the back of his hands a bit numb. 

His will to see grew and so he opened his eyes for the first time in so long and saw bright lights shining above and endless white.

*

Footsteps - loud and rushed. They were approaching him.

"Mr. Mitsui?" A voice called out. He could see a blur of flesh colors and black. He blinked several times and each time he did so, the vision cleared, revealing a face – tanned, old, glasses, dark hair and eyes – looking down at him. "Can you see? Mr. Mitsui?" He parted his lips to speak, trying to stretch out his vocal chords, but failed. All he could manage was a choked and raspy sound. "Water." The doctor instructed. 

The nurse hurried to fetch the glass of water. Mitsui tossed his head to one side, annoyed by the bright light. His brows were knitted together in distress and he was biting his lower lip. Everything around him seemed to be drowning water – they were all wavering and slightly unclear. Maybe it was the light, he thought. 

The nurse returned with a bottle and glass of mineral water. She quickly poured a glass then helped Mitsui sit up, propping his pillows and gently touching the glass to his lips. "Easy now." She said, and he took little sips, the cool liquid finding it somewhat difficult to get past his throat. He coughed several times, probably because he's been asleep for quite sometime and hasn't drunk or eaten anything. In the end, he ended up drinking the whole bottle and his throat felt a lot better. 

"Tell me, Mr. Mitsui, can you see clearly?" The doctor asked.

He looked at him and narrowed his eyes, trying to focus his vision. It was still a bit blurry, but good enough to make out the features. It was the type of blur one got when he or she was extremely tired. "I can see you. Kinda' blurry though. I can't see very far."

The doctor heaved a sigh of relief. "Ah! That is good to hear, Mr. Mitsui. The reason everything is still blurry is because you haven't been using your eyes for sometime. It will be all right in a day or two." He gestured for the nurse to bring more water for Mitsui was rubbing his throat. "Do your eyes hurt?" 

Mitsui tried to look at the mirror behind the doctor speaking to him. Not only was his eyes disarray but his mind too. Just what exactly was he doing in a hospital – again? His eyes ended up tearing when he tried to look at the mirror a good two meters in front of him. "If I try to look farther, yes it does hurt." The doctor nodded, but did not say anything. "What am I doing here? Why am I in a hospital again?"

The nurse came in that moment with three bottles of mineral water. She placed it on the bedside table and asked the doctor if he needs anything else, then she left. "Do you not remember?" The doctor asked.

"Remember what?" Mitsui tried to think back if he was involved in some gang fight again or anything along those lines. He ended up getting a bad headache just thinking. The more he thought the more his headache got worst. "No, I can't. It hurts. My head is a mess." He rubbed his head, wincing. 

"I see." The doctor said, and pulled a chair to sit beside him. "You were hit by a car." Mitsui looked at him and tilted his head to one side, lips parting in question. "But you were lucky that the driver saw you and was able to hit the brakes before you took all of the impact." Mitsui closed his eyes and tried to remember. 

He saw two bright headlights and a blue Toyota Echo. 

"You were not entirely lucky. The impact pulled you towards the windshield of the car, and your head crashed the glass. That's why you still have a healing skull." He gestured to his head. Mitsui brought his fingers to his head and for the first time he felt the bandages. He also had long hair now. "You had a bad concussion and you've been in a coma for four months. The summer is long over. Winter is approaching." 

Mitsui blinked again, trying to shake away the headache gnawing at him. "Four months? Here?"

"Yes, right here in this very bed." He answered with a nod. Mitsui looked at his nametag and read his name – Hajime. "We tried to contact your parents or any relative and could only reach one. Your uncle Ikari is the one paying for your hospital bills. I believe he is your only living relative. He is in Europe now and we've already notified him that you are now awake." 

"Uncle Ikari." Mitsui searched for info in his head about that relative. His mind told him that he was his mother's brother who lost his family in a car crash and was now taking care of his business in Europe. 

"The reason," He said, and looked at him seriously. "I keep asking about your eyes is because they received most of the damage. Your concussion was expected, and so was your coma. It is the case when a particular area of the head has been hit with a strong impact, which you are unfortunate to receive." He said, and cleared his throat. "Your eyes were in terrible condition when you were brought here. Many fine pieces of glass had entered and damaged your retina. We had to take out both your eyes and repair many of the blood vessels that were clogged with little glass pieces." Mitsui shivered and brought both his palms to his eyes, closing them for a moment. "We couldn't tell whether your vision would be normal once you wake up or not, but now that it is, I'm glad."

"You took my eyes out?" He said, still unbelieving. "How could you do that?"

"It was needed to be taken out or else you would be blind now, or your color vision would have been gone forever." He said, a small smile on his lips. "You'll be all right, you have been for four months." He got to his feet. "Now that I've told you everything you need to know about why you're here, I'm afraid I still have rounds to make. Ah! Yes, now I remember. A friend of yours is here too."

"Friend?" Mitsui looked up at him, blinking. 

"Yes, yes. What an energetic bundle that boy is. I've never met anyone quite like him." He said, laughing. "I'm sure he'll be extremely happy of the good news. I shall inform a nurse to tell him about you. By the way, are you hungry?" 

Mitsui looked a this stomach that was churning. "A bit." 

"I will tell the nurse to bring you your dinner too. Don't strain yourself though. If your eyes or head begins to hurt badly, just punch 18 on the phone and I will be notified." He left the room, leaving Mitsui sitting on his bed, looking around him. 

On his walls were posters of basketball stars – Allen Iverson, Tim Duncan, Jason Kidd and Steve Nash. In one corner, on a table by the window, there were cards and a picture frame. Curious, he pushed the sheets aside and swung his feet slowly to the ground. When he got on his own feet, they buckled under him and he had to grab the sides of the bed to prevent himself from falling on the ground and risking another silly injury. He tried again and swayed on his feet for a few moments. His head was still wavering from being in one position for a long time and the sudden height made him feel a bit sick in the stomach. He walked over to the table by the window and picked up the picture frame. He stared at it intently, seeing the entire basketball team of Shohoku High pose in front of the camera, holding their flag, certificate of achievement, their trophy and all of them wearing medals for coming second in the district eliminations. 

His eyes fell on the team members and he tried to remember their names. He knew them, but could not just pin point who was who. His mind was still a horrible mess – dusty, you can say. Someone would have to remind him of everything first before his head started running properly again. 

The door opened and someone stepped in. "Mitchy!" He turned around and found a tall redhead. He looked at the picture and then back up. Yeah, he knew this guy. He was loud, noisy and called himself a genius. What was his name again? Something to do with flower. "Oh man! You're so skinny! Look at you!" He approached him and gave him a brotherly hug. "Glad you're awake! Man you scared the shit out of us, you know." 

Mitsui looked at the warm and energetic brown eyes of the redhead in front of him. "I know you. You're in my team. What's your name again?"

"What?" Sakuragi took several steps back, shocked. "You don't know me? Do you know everyone else?" He approached Mitsui and began to shake him by the shoulders. "What is with you? Are you memories gone? Do you have amnesia? Answer me!"

Mitsui whacked him on the head with the nearest object he touched – a rolled up newspaper. "Idiot! I said I know you. My head is just mixed up. Everything is a mess. I just need someone to remind me of things then I'm fine! Geez, once an idiot, always an idiot."

"I am not an idiot!" Sakuragi protested. "Sakuragi Hanamichi." 

"Ah!" Mitsui suddenly grinned and pointed at him. "The idiot." 

"I am not an idiot!" Sakuragi stomped his feet and pouted. He and Mitsui stared each other down before bursting out laughing together. "You know, you should be sitting down." 

"Last time I checked, Hajime was my doctor." Mitsui said, raising an eyebrow.

"Uh – " Sakuragi pretended to look thoughtful. "Last time I checked you were the one in a coma."

"Hey! Hey! I want to stand. How do you know what's it like lying down in the same bed for four months?" He asked, now a bit annoyed.

Sakuragi shrugged. "I do have a brief idea." He grumbled and pulled a chair, sitting down. "By the way, Mitchy. Does your eyes hurt? Dr. Hajime was pretty concerned about them."

"They're okay." Mitsui, looking up when the door opened. A nurse came in carrying a tray and told him that it would be better if he sat down for now. She placed the tray of food on the table that was folded at the side of the bed and then left, telling him that he felt sick or anything to just page the desk. 

"Hey! That's sure a lot better than the stuff they feed me here." Sakuragi said, peeking at the tray Mitsui was now staring at. His mouth was actually watering and his stomach growling. Mitsui smirked and took some soup in. "Anou – I've been itching to ask this question, ever since you – you know." Mitsui looked up and blinked, setting his spoon down. It was only then did he notice that Sakuragi was wearing the silliest pair of pajamas he's ever seen. They were light blue with little yellow cows printed all over them. He choked on his own air, hiding a smile. Sakuragi gave him this look and he motioned for him to continue. "That night, after out first match in IH, when I was taken to the hospital, that was the same night you – you –"

"Got hit by a car." Mitsui said and looked at his bowl of soup. "Yes, who told you?"

"_Megane_." Sakuragi said. Mitsui nodded, and he knew that Kogure was the one who told Sakuragi. "He also said that you were angry."

"Angry at myself." Mitsui said, still looking at his soup. 

"Why?" Sakuragi asked, leaning back against the chair and stretching his legs. 

"Because –" Mitsui felt his eyes watering. "Because look what happened? That ball was meant for me to catch, or save or whatever it is I could do. I was supposed to be alert at all times, because I'm a shooting guard. But no!" He clenched the sheets of the bed. "I – I was a weakling. I couldn't even walk straight anymore. I was seeing two of everything all because of – of – of pride! Of bloody pride that made me stop playing for two years!" 

"Mitchy." Sakuragi said, biting his lower lip.

"And then you came. And you somehow manage to save the ball just to get us some points. And then, you were no longer moving." Mitsui shut his eyes. "And look at you now!" 

Sakuragi shook his head. "You shouldn't worry."

"Shouldn't worry?" Mitsui stared at him in disbelief. "I shouldn't worry? Damnit, do you have any idea how many depends on you? Do you have any idea how many people you inspire? And it's your back, of all parts! Your back! I – I was so afraid that maybe your injury could have made you paralyzed. Paralyzed!" Mitsui turned away, the despair that he felt that night four months ago hitting him hard in the chest. "It was raining that night, and you were sleeping here, in the hospital. We just left and were going separate ways. I remember that it was cold and everyone kept asking if I was okay." Sakuragi kept looking at his feet. "I did not want to be responsible for a teammate's loss." He looked up at Sakuragi, tears brimming in his eyes. "Believe me when I say that not being able to play anymore is the most difficult thing to accept."

"I know." Sakuragi said, nodding and patted his shoulders, handing him the box of tissues. "I know. Now quit crying. You're making me cry also! Stop it! We're young men aren't we?"

"Yeah, we are." Mitsui said, smiling and they both burst out laughing again.

Mitsui continued eating his dinner while both of them spoke of past games they played during the eliminations. They spoke till the wee hours of dawn unaware of the time, until a nurse came in and scolded both of them for making too much noise in their ward. Sakuragi was forced to return to his room but vowed that he would come the next day after his therapy. 

Mitsui laid on his pillow sleep not coming to him at all. He dimmed the lights and tried to catch some sleep. For some strange reason, he was feeling sleepy. It was ironic because he's been asleep for four months. He rolled his eyes at his thoughts and instead he sat by the window and looked outside, beyond the hospital gates. He found a hospital patient walking through the gardens and found that strange. He continued watching the person who sat by the fountain looking in to the waters. Mitsui frowned. The hospital allowed people to wander in the gardens at night? 

"Cool!" He said to himself, thinking that he might go and take a walk himself. 

He left the window and pulled on a jacket over his pajamas. He left the room and casually walked towards the exit. He knew his way around because he spent quite sometime in that very hospital when he injured his knee. So he took the side exit that would take him directly to the swings. A little cool and fresh air may do him some good.

"Excuse me, sir? Where are you going?" A nurse asked, noticing him pass by the nurse's desk. 

Mitsui turned around and blinked. "To the gardens. For a walk."

"I'm sorry sir, but you will have to go back to your rooms." The nurse said, folding her arms. 

"Eh?" He suddenly voiced out, eyes blinking again. For some strange reason, his vision was blurring again. "But someone is in the gardens. That's why I thought I could go for a walk too." 

"Just a moment." The nurse headed for the desk and dialed the security room. She asked if there was anyone outside in the gardens using the surveillance camera. She thanked the person and closed the line. "I'm sorry sir. But nobody is in the gardens right now." 

TBC


	2. Part 2

I would personally like to thank everyone who were my first few reviewers! I am sooo happy you guys! Really, it feels good when someone gives you an ego boost :P 

Thank you Keax (and I have remedied the error – I didn't know that little fact! Thanks a lot), Nakkie, Rumiko, Trix, Miyahara Yuuki, Frozenfemale, Starian Princess and The Tarik. You guys made my day! _Hontou ni Arigatou Gozaimasu!_

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Here's the next chapter! Ja! 

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**THE SPIRIT 2**

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"It's great to have you with us amongst the living again." Kogure said, a genuine smile of relief on his face. The whole team had visited him the very next afternoon as soon as the news reached them that he was conscious once again.

"I was alive Kogure." Mitsui said, a small frown on his face. "Just as asleep."

"Well, you weren't exactly moving about, if you know what I mean." Kogure pointed out, glasses reflecting light from the ceiling. 

"Oh, I am offended." Mitsui said, mocking a look of hurt. 

They had brought little delicacies for him to enjoy. Everyone was most kind to him and treated him as if he were made of porcelain. Kogure asked over and over again if he needed his pillows propped, Ayako fussed whether he wanted anything to drink, Akagi glared and scolded anyone who made anything go out of place like for example if someone tugs at the blanket and exposed Mitsui's feet, Miyagi continued on asking him if his knee was all right. Mitsui was getting a headache from it all. No doubt he loved the attention and all the things they were actually willing to do for him, but the questions were driving him mad. They all sounded like a broken record. 

"Guys, guys, look at the poor guy." Sakuragi said, while Mitsui had unconsciously looked down and rubbed his temples with a hand. "You're all giving him a headache with all your racket."

"Speak for yourself!" Miyagi said. "I hear that you make a lot of noise around here."

"That is not the subject of this conversation." Sakuragi said, giving him the killer-eye.

"Whatever." Rukawa grumbled and yawned.

"I think it's best if we all leave now." Akagi said, looking at everyone, using his power of authority to make them all comply. "Don't strain yourself." He told Mitsui, as everyone began to give him the usual 'get well soon' and 'don't do a lot of things' and 'don't stress yourself out' phrases. 

"Thanks for coming you guys!" Mitsui smiled as everyone piled out of the room, save for Sakuragi who was now in a pair of white jogging pants and a light blue t-shirt. "I don't mean to sound awful," Mitsui said, rubbing his head once everyone was gone. "But they give me a headache."

"You just woke up less than twenty four hours ago. What do you expect? Your body to cooperate with all the party mood after it woke up from four months' sleep?" 

"I guess I give myself too much credit." He shrugged. "But I enjoyed it nevertheless. I just need to get used to more noise." 

"Be right back." Sakuragi left the room and came back with his Discman and a few CD's. "Here. Maybe a little music can help you get your mind used to a few things."

"You sure you don't mind? I'll have someone scoot by my place to fetch me a few things. The doctor says he's going to keep me here for a week or so for more examination."

"Luck you." Sakuragi mumbled, looking at his hands. Mitsui heard it and waited for him to continue. "At least you could go home. You know, I think I have an idea why you ran away from this place to practice when you were injured. I actually don't blame you." 

"Don't worry too much." Mitsui said, reaching out and patting his shoulder. "You've got us, the team, remember?"

Sakuragi smiled. "Yeah."

Both of them continued chatting till dinner ended. The nurse told Sakuragi to leave the room because he was laughing out loud again along with Mitsui which made a lot of noise disturbing the other patients. Sakuragi threw a tantrum but left in the end. Mitsui went to sleep immediately after that, lying on his side and looking out his window, watching the stars as his eyelids slowly closed.

*

When he woke up, he found that the nurses outside had changed their uniform. They were no longer the cute short white dresses and little hats that looked identical to everyone else. They were longer and had no hats. Their hair was tied up high in tight buns and there seemed to be a new staff. He assumed it was morning shift, and because he's been conscious for only two days, he did not know who came in during the day and who at night.

He continued walking around, seeing new faces and new patients. He looked at his hospital pajamas, then at another young man's. He was wearing a thing white and blue cotton pair with stripes while this young man who had his head in bandages wore a long sky blue gi. He looked around again and found more patients in the same light blue gi – even the women. 

He turned to head back to his room. He threw everything he saw to the back of his mind, dismissing it with an excuse that is was probably some new style or something along those lines. He turned the doorknob of his room and stepped in. He suddenly stopped when he found someone else occupying the bed. It was a young girl, probably at the age of puberty, with long dark hair and dark brows eyes. She was looking out the window sadly, eyes tearing. 

He took several steps forward, and was about to open his lips to query about her presence when the door opened. A girl, a mirror image of the one lying down stepped in, dressed in a white dress and sandals, hair tied at the nape of her neck. The one on the bed turned to look at her, and began to beg her to leave her alone. 

"You're my sister!" 

"Go away!" The one lying down begged. "Go away!"

Mitsui held up a hand to stop the one on the bed from raising her voice because the readings on the monitors were beginning to get very erratic. Her voice was also deafening, now that she was shrieking for her twin to leave. Mitsui covered his ears and winced, falling on his knees. 

*

He bolted up from bed with a gasp, looking around him. He quickly got off the bed and looked around his room, panic glimmering in his dark blue eyes. He found his basketball posters on the wall and all the little gifts from the team and other friends. He left his room and peeked in to the room beside him. The old man inside was dressed in plain blue and white pajama pair. He looked at the nurse walking down the hall and found her in her usual white outfit with the little hat. 

"Just a stupid dream." Mitsui said, berating himself for acting like a kid.

He headed back for his room and lay down on the bed, pulling the covers over his body. He stared at the ceiling, waiting for sleep to overcome him. It was only one in the morning and it was Monday of all days. He found himself unable to sleep until dawn came.

He could barely keep his eyes open. He was so sleepy, since he managed to get some sleep for perhaps only 4 hours. The nurse came to rouse him for some sort of therapy that he will have to go through for a week to get his nerves and muscles back to its normal working conditions. It was part of the treatment and because he was an athlete, he had to go through it or else his body would not be able to withstand any hard exercises. He was also under a strict diet to retain all the weight he lost. 

After his therapy, Mitsui stepped on the weighing scale in the bathroom. He was shocked to find that it read 58 Kg. He could not believe that he lost 12 kg in the span of four months. He stripped his top off and stared at his reflection in the mirror. All the lean muscles he had had shrunk. His ribs protruded sickeningly from his flesh that it made him feel like hurling his guts out. 

His breakfast went in to the toilet bowl. 

He turned on the cold shower and took a bath, his shoulder length hair dripping beads of crystal water. He was determined to put on weight and get back on track. He was an athlete and he vowed to remain one. Even if the winter games had long ended, and Akagi and Kogure had left the team. He would have to leave the team too. Basketball was not the only thing circling his little world now. His future did too. 

"Two months." He mumbled, closing his eyes as the shower gently rained on his neck. "I will play for two more months." 

*

"What's with the long face?" Sakuragi asked, sitting cross-legged on the leather couch of his hospital room. It was the only comfortable chair and since Mitsui was on the bed, he took the single couch. 

"I lost a lot of weight." Mitsui said. "I'm underweight for my height."

"You're telling me." Sakuragi said, looking at him up and down. "You need a haircut too."

"I know." Mitsui mumbled, nodding his head. "When I get out of here, I'm getting a haircut." 

"You better." Sakuragi smirked and looked out the window. "So what are you going to do? Winter games are over. Gori and Megane left the team already."

"I've decided to play for two more months." He said, staring at his hands. 

So you're quitting." Sakuragi said, looking at him with a serious expression.

"I'm not MVP anymore. I can't make a future with just basketball. If – If I get injured again, my worth goes down the drain immediately. There is no sure future. I was a good player once - that is until –" He swallowed, not continuing.

"You're still a good player."

"But not like before." He said stubbornly, looking out the window. "Times have changed."

"No, it hasn't." Sakuragi said, shaking his head. "You have." Mitsui was about to retort to what he just said when Sakuragi changed the subject. "How are your eyes?"

"They're all right. Everything is clear now. Sometimes it blurs, but otherwise it's fine." He shrugged, rubbing them gently. 

"Good." Sakuragi nodded, looking out the window too. "So what are your plans?"

"Get a job outside after school, do something about my grades maybe. Get in to a university and start a new. I'll be trying out for the basketball teams of course, hopefully they'll give me a scholarship for a year or two." 

"You got finance for Uni?" 

"My uncle is helping me out." Mitsui looked at the gardens below and found a couple walking around hand in hand. A smile came to his face, seeing how sweet they looked together.

"What's so funny?" Sakuragi asked.

He shrugged in reply. "Nothing really. Just feeling a bit envious of those two walking." 

"Where?" Sakuragi stood up and looked at the garden in front of him. His brows furrowed. "Where?"

"Just there! By the fountain." Mitsui pointed.

Sakuragi looked again and his brows furrowed even more. "Eh? What are you talking about? There's no one down there."

Mitsui looked at him as if he was crazy. "But I just saw them." He rubbed his eyes and looked again. This time he saw no one, just like what Sakuragi said. 

"You ought to get more sleep, Mitchy. You're not that well yet, you know?" Sakuragi said, patting him on the back. Mitsui sat on his bed once more and frowned. "Hey look, I understand all right? Your eyes just suffered from major damage. I don't blame you for hallucinating or whatever you want to call it."

"I am not hallucinating. I just –" He stood up and looked out the window again and found two kids chasing each other. Both were dressed in white shorts and bright yellow shirts. He blinked and they were still there, laughing. He placed an open palm on the window glass surface and continued looking. The two kids stopped playing and looked up at him. 

"Mitchy?" Sakuragi asked, looking at him curiously now. "Oi!"

Mitsui felt his breath stop in the middle of his throat. The two kids stopped playing and looked up at him. 

"Mitsui!" Sakuragi called out sharply, but still, Mitsui did not react. He was still looking out the window.

The two kids were now staring at him, right in to his very eyes. His hands balled in to fists, his eyes slowly beginning to hurt, and the pain was increasing with each ticking second. 

The two kids opened their mouths to speak and the words came out shrilling from their throats, the impact hitting Mitsui right at the face. 

_"CAN YOU SEE US?" _

He gave out a sharp scream, seeing a bright white flash before everything went black. His head swirled then he fell back with a thud, eyes staring wide open at the ceiling. "OI! OI! MITCHY!" Sakuragi cried out in alarm, getting to his feet immediately once Mitsui hit the floor. The poor redhead felt his heart drum in his ears and chest. "Oh god!" 

He rushed out of the room and yelled for Mitsui's doctor. The nurses rushed in to the room (male and female) and lifted Mitsui off the floor, placing him on the bed. An oxygen mask was strapped on his face.

Dr. Hajime came in immediately and stared at Mitsui's dilated pupils. "What happened?" He asked, looking at Sakuragi. He pulled down Mitsui's lids and began to examine any faults. 

"I – I don't know." Sakuragi looked at Mitsui's eyes and clenched his fists. "He just screamed and then he fell."

TBC


	3. Part 3

Wow! This Fic seems to be doing quite okay. At first I thought no one would actually read it, but more readers come everyday – and it makes me really happy!

I would personally like to thank the following people.

Rumiko, Chiche, Mayumi, Keax, Nakkie, ZOID, Sieg Hart, Sakura1988, Frozenfemale and last, but not least, Miyahara Yuuki – You guys have been great! I won't reveal anything, hence me not reply to your questions at Babble/FF.net. I want it to be mysterious, you see? Coz I know myself, that once I start babbling, I'll reveal everything and that would make it boring. As of now, I'm trying to think up of scary things to put in, and a good friend is helping! So guys …

SIT TIGHT! ^____^ 

Happy reading and a million thank you's! I love you people! 

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**THE SPIRIT 3**

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He sat up from his bed, rubbing his head. He remembered collapsing then darkness. He hoped that there were no complications. The last thing he wanted was another reason to stop playing basketball. It was not some bone or ligament that he was bargaining here with. It was his eyesight. He'd kill himself if he goes blind.

He found the hospital eerily quiet. He got to his feet and headed for his door, opening it, and peeked outside. He found nurses helping injured or sick people, only this time, they were wearing different clothes from the one he saw often. He was still in his white and blue striped pajamas while all the other patients were in sky blue gi. Puzzled, he felt déjà vu. 

"I know this." He mumbled and peered through every door once again. He saw patients sleeping, staring out the windows, coughing or listening to doctor's advice. Nothing was out of ordinary. He turned and headed back to his room, looking at a nurse walking by while he twisted the doorknob and stepped inside. He blinked several times finding his room occupied once again. It was the same girl, the one with long black hair that screamed her head out at the sight of her twin. 

This time, there was a man with them, with long brown hair tied back neatly at the nape of his neck, dressed in traditional gray and blue kimono. The twins were speaking quietly, so he inched closer and frowned when he saw the patient on the bed trembling. She looked much older. A calendar caught his gaze and he looked at it, seeing the date. 

It was January 15, 1964.

He frowned even more. 

"Once your injuries heal, I'm going to take good care of you." The man said.

"Don't worry." The twin standing beside the bed said, a smile on her beautiful face. "Kiritani-kun will take care of you." 

The twin lying down merely looked away, staring at the window. Mitsui turned to look at the window and found two kids playing outside, dressed in a white shorts and a yellow t-shirt. Something clicked in his head and he began to panic. He gripped his head and began to scream and yell. His vision was darkening, slowly, slowly. Everything he was seeing was beginning to fade. The last thing he saw was Kiritani taking the hand of the patient lying down and caressing it.

*

"Ah!" He yelled, swearing that he opened his eyes but saw nothing but darkness. He panicked even more, knowing that his eyesight was gone. His hands came to his eyes but several pairs of hands gripped them and pulled them down. Same hands began to pin him to the bed that he was on and someone barked orders around. A syringe was injected to him and he began to toss and turn, kicking and screaming. "I can't see! I can't see! What happened? What the fuck did you do to my eyes? I can't bloody see!"

His head began to swirl and he felt drowsy. His movements slowed down and he felt his limbs go heavy like lead. "Easy, there, Mr. Mitsui." 

"Doc?" Mitsui turned to the source of the sound and blinked through the darkness that he was seeing. "I can't see! Why can't I see?"

"Easy." Dr. Hajime said. Hands helped him sit up and he allowed the nurses to man handle him. "Your wearing bandages that's why. I had to use laser on your cornea because they were damaged." Hands were on the sides of his head, releasing the bandage that he did not feel earlier. He closed his eyes behind the thinning bandage and waited patiently for it to be removed. Once they were gone, he slowly opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was the wall clock. It was two in the morning. "Can you see?"

"Yes." Mitsui said in relief, blinking the blurriness away. "I can see." 

"You sound relieved." Dr. Hajime said with a chuckle.

"I thought I was blind. That's a normal reaction." He said, rubbing his eyes, thanking the heavens that he could see. He nearly lost his head there for a moment when he woke up seeing black. 

"Indeed it is." Dr. Hajime nodded. Nurses were leaving the room, cleaning up the small mess as they did so. "Well, best if you get some rest. It's two in the morning." 

Mitsui nodded. He looked at the wall clock then automatically his gaze fell on the calendar.

It was two in the morning, January 15, 2004.

*

He could smell cologne and the burning rubber of motorcycles. He fell asleep right after his therapy that much he could remember. He was so tired that he could barely keep his eyes open. But that smell was all too familiar. He opened his eyes and turned his head to one side, to where the smell was more concentrated. His eyes bulged wide open that he sat up from surprise.

"T – Tetsuo?" He gaped.

"Well, well, Mr. MVP." Tetsuo flashed him a grin. "Back amongst the living."

"You came." He stated. Behind his tone though, were a million questions. 

"Of course." Tetsuo shrugged. "You were expecting me last, or you were not expecting me at all." Mitsui felt his cheeks color. It was quite embarrassing really. "What's with the hairdo? I thought you threw away your gangster life? Not Mr. MVP anymore?" 

"Silly." Mitsui grumbled and ran a hand through his hair. "Once I'm out of here, I'm getting a haircut. As for your second question, it ended a long time ago."

"No." Tetsuo shook his head. "It did not end. You're still playing aren't you?"

"Two months." 

"That's it?" Mitsui nodded at his question. "Then what?"

"I don't know. Get a life maybe. I've been a hopeless case since my knee injury."

"Not true." Tetsuo's hands reached out for the cigarette in his pocket. Mitsui gestured to the 'no-smoking' sign and he immediately stopped, instead, he folded his hands behind his neck. "Hopeless in the brain maybe. You knew that gangster life was never for you. Your long hair never suited you. You know that." Mitsui looked down, a small smile on his lips. That was Tetsuo, straightforward and honest – especially around him. That is one reason why he regarded him as a very close and special friend. "I guess I can't blame you. Though I still don't know what thrill you get from tossing some orange ball in to a ring."

Mitsui burst out laughing. "You won't know till you try, right?"

"Nah." He shook his head, smiling slightly. "Sports ain't for me. It's more for you." Mitsui shifted his position on the bed. "This place feed you?" 

"Yeah." 

Tetsuo smirked. "Doesn't look like it. What do they give you? Plain rice and veggies?"

"Something along those lines." 

"You don't complain?"

"I don't have a choice. Diet, you see?"

"What's there to diet?"

"Do I look like a doctor?" 

"You have one looking after you."

"Go ask him." 

"Do they really feed you?"

"They do. Crap stuff."

"Do you eat them?"

"I throw them up an hour later."

"You shouldn't do that." 

"I can't help it."

"That bad?"

"That tasteless." 

Tetsuo laughed heartily. Mitsui felt a frown touching his lips. "You'll be making up for a lot of meals once you're out of here, right?" 

"You know me too well." Mitsui stretched and then winced, feeling his eyes burn all of a sudden. He brought his hands to his eyes and hissed. 

"What's wrong?" Tetsuo narrowed his eyes.

"They're burning." Mitsui brought his hands down and blinked. He found Tetsuo looking at him with a frown, but not just him. There was an old lady standing behind him, holding a cane and a small stuffed bear in one hand, smiling at him. 

Tetsuo noticed him staring behind him and turned to look. "Something behind me, Mr. MVP?"

"That old lady." He said, pointing. He blinked, the old lady was gone.  

"Old lady?" Tetsuo looked behind him again and his frown deepened. "You're seeing things, Mitsui. There is no lady. Let alone anyone. Besides, I didn't hear anyone come in."

Mitsui could only stare at Tetsuo, as if he was a stranger now.

*

Mitsui could barely sleep. In fact, he was afraid to fall asleep. He did not want to wake up seeing black. Tetsuo left two hours ago, after the nurse warned him that he was staying way over the visiting limit. Tetsuo had patted him on the shoulder and told him to pull himself together. Mitsui could almost hear his bike engine gunning down the street in front of the hospital – and the police sirens. Tetsuo hated the helmet. He told him once that how was he going to keep up his tough image if he wore something as sissy as a helmet? Mitsui merely stared at him when he spoke that line.

Now, he was staring at his ceiling. Sakuragi was as dead as a doornail. He's been sleeping since his therapy that morning. The guy was all worn out due to all the stress on his head, not to mention that his therapy was now on its fifth stage. He was progressing well, but the toll was he got tired rather quicker than before.

So he was all alone, in his dim room, staring out the starless sky. No matter how hard he tried, he could not help but feel sleepy. He sat on the chair, splashing his face with cold water from the bathroom and stared out the window. He was grateful for Tetsuo's visit. He was probably the only one he could let his guard down. He grew tired. The clock read eleven-thirty. He debated whether to ask for sleeping pills, but decided against it.

"What am I doing?" He asked himself, cursing under his breath. He sat on his bed and propped his pillows, laying his head on it. He pulled the covers over his body and snuggled deep in to the soft comforts of his bed. Slowly, his eyes began to close. Just as he remembered his dreams, his eyes shot open. "I can't go on like this." He whispered. "They're just dreams. They can't hurt me." 

He was reassured with his words. 

He began to whisper a prayer before he lulled himself to sleep, comforted by the prayer and the almighty protection he would be granted. Just as he closed his eyes, he felt them suddenly burn. He could feel hot tears cascading down his cheeks. He wiped them away and opened his eyes. He saw everything in white and gray. He blinked several times and rubbed his eyes, his color vision coming back.

"This is so shitty!" He grumbled and closed his eyes. 

He finally fell asleep.

*

"Not again." He grumbled, waking up to find his room a bit dull. It was like the ones in his previous two dreams. He remained in his room and nothing happened. He got up and headed out the door closing it behind him. He took a look from both his sides. He found a nurse pushing a wheel chair with a child sitting on it, his leg amputated. The child looked at his direction, so he smiled and waved. The child merely looked straight at him as he was wheeled away down the corridor. Mitsui frowned. He stood in front of a nurse writing something in a record book. He slammed his fists down beside her and he got no reaction. He stuck his tongue out at her and made stupid faces – still no reaction. "So I can't be seen?" He asked himself and shook his head.

He headed back to his room and opened the door. Just like before, the scene changed. In front of him were the twins, only this time Kiritani, the man with the long hair, was showing her pictures and asking her questions. Mitsui summed it up as some sort of psychological test. He sat by the windowsill and watched intently. The other twin, the one who was not hospitalized remained sitting on a chair opposite the bed, a frown on her face. 

The twin on the bed looked up, and her eyes fell on her other twin's hand. She saw a ring gleaming and frowned a bit, confused. Kiritani rubbed his chin and she saw an identical ring on his finger. She frowned even more. Mitsui quirked an eyebrow, quite amused about the whole soap opera taking place before him. 

"You two are –" She mumbled, looking at her sitting twin opposite her. "Does father know?"

"No, he doesn't know." The twin stood up from her chair and stood beside Kiritani, wrapping her arms around his neck. "We are engaged. Father doesn't have to know." 

"He's our step brother. Our brother." She corrected. "Kei-chan!"

"Hush! Nobody needs to know anything! Kai-chan, if you let one word out, neither of us are going to help you. We're doing this for you!"

"I see." Mitsui looked at Kai, the one on the bed, who resumed answering Kiritani's questions.

"Weird." He mumbled. "Very, very weird." 

TBC 


	4. Part 4

THE SPIRIT 4  
  
He woke up and his eyes were tearing again. He was not startled awake and it was still in the middle of the night. A glance at the wall clock told him that it was three in the morning. He stared at the ceiling, wondering. What's with the dreams? It was actually scaring him now. Three times in a row, he's had dreams of the same people. He wondered if it had a meaning or maybe it was just some random thought at the back of his head. He was no dream-expert after all.  
  
"This is crazy." He grumbled and sat up. He headed for the bathroom attached to his room and gargled, before splashing water on his face. He kept his head down under the running tap, his hand turning the tap off while the other reached blindly for the towel. Once it was in his hand, he dried his face and hair marveling at the freshness he felt. Somehow, he forgot his fears and his dreams. He stood up and looked at the mirror, nearly jumping out of his skin.  
  
He saw a girl - the one in his dream - looking straight at him, tears in her eyes.  
  
"Oh god!" He gasped, doubling back and covering his eyes that now burned. He stumbled his way to his bed and hid under the covers, shielding his head with his arms and blanket. He felt fear gnaw at his gut once more, and from that extreme fear, he felt, for the first time, the urge to cry - and for the first time, he wished that there were someone there to hold him.  
  
*  
  
The doctor had allowed him and Sakuragi to take a stroll in the hospital gardens after their therapy. Mitsui had to wait for Sakuragi to finish - a good half an hour - before they had lunch then took their little walk. It was a breezy spring afternoon, cherry blossoms drifting in the air, giving the surrounding area a sweet smell. They circled the park, talking about basketball and all their successes.  
  
"I remember the first time I did a dunk." Sakuragi said and grinned sheepishly. "I smacked my head on the board."  
  
"Yeah?" Mitsui laughed. "I knew that. But I never knew that a day would come when you would actually admit it out loud. Especially to me." Sakuragi shrugged.  
  
"Well, I can't say that you're the best friend I have in the whole world or anything like that. It never even crossed my mind. I mean, when I first saw you, the gangster-Mitsui I mean, I said to myself, 'Oh man! This guy needs a haircut! But what a hairdo! How does he keep it so smooth?'" Mitsui burst out laughing. He laughed out so loud that his sides began to ache. "I also said to myself, 'But I'll be damn! He is missing teeth! Ha! If his teeth were full and if I were a girl, I'd be head over heals for this guy.'" Mitsui stopped laughing suddenly and looked at Sakuragi as if he were a SARS victim. "But I'm not a girl." Sakuragi placed a hand on Mitsui's head and ruffled the silky long locks. "But I do wonder how your hair stays so straight and smooth. Mine is all wavy and curly, which is why I like to keep a shaved head now."  
  
"What's with you and hair anyway?" Mitsui said, and playfully smacked him up the head. "It's just hair. Keratin! Nothing more."  
  
"Hair makes one look good. Hey! If I grow my hair, do you think Haruko would like me more?" He asked, a goofy grin on his face.  
  
"No, I just think she'd think that you were a psychopath with red hair. Get yours hands off my head!" He knocked his hand off and sighed. "Keep the short hair, idiot. It suits you more. You look like an orangutan with longer hair. At least this hairdo gives you a clean face." Mitsui looked at the ground. "Thought it's never clean because of all the colorful bruises decorating it." He added, grumbling under his breath.  
  
"I heard that!" Sakuragi snapped.  
  
"So? What do you want me to do? Get up and dance?" Mitsui asked sarcastically.  
  
"What's that got to do with what we were talking about?" Sakuragi frowned, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"It's called sarcasm, ahou!" Mitsui retorted, clearly annoyed.  
  
"No. I think it's called brain-damage." Sakuragi shrugged getting up. Before Mitsui could even reply to what he just said, he immediately spoke, cutting the sentence that was suppose to come flying out of the ex- gangster's lips. "I'm thirsty. I want a soda, but I'm not allowed. I know you are, but because I can't have a soda, you can't either. You want orange juice?"  
  
Mitsui rolled his eyes at the peanut-sized brain of his friend. He waved a hand. "Yeah, yeah. Orange is fine."  
  
"Don't move a muscle. Stay where you are. I'll be back in a jiffy." Sakuragi walked towards the canteen located in one side of the garden. The hospital had three. Two indoors and one outdoors.  
  
"Don't break anything on your way." Mitsui called out and Sakuragi merely gave him the bad-finger. Mitsui smirked, the elders who witnessed the redhead covering their mouths with their hankies, fans or hands at the shameful gesture.  
  
He raised his head to the sky and stared at the few flocks of birds flying above him. It indeed was a lovely day. He inhaled the sweet and clean air before closing his in bliss. Getting out from an excessively disinfected room made him feel like a young child allowed to go out and play. It was a wonderful feeling to be out - to see more colors other than white and sky blue. Really, the hospital should consider sanity. Not just body-health. Sanity. Sanity!  
  
He looked in front of him and found a nurse pushing an old lady in a wheelchair. He frowned though. The nurse's clothes were like the ones the nurses were wearing in his dreams. And the old lady was not wearing the standard hospital blue and white-stripped gown - she was wearing a sky blue long kimono. He blinked, thinking that it may be a vision or just some stupid projection from his mind, but the vision remained there. The nurse kept on pushing the old lady, heading down the pathway. He looked at the opposite side and found another nurse pushing an old man in a wheelchair. Only this time, the man was in blue and white stripped pajamas and the nurse in the usual short white uniform and the white hat.  
  
"What the -" He grumbled, slightly straightening his sitting position from the bench he was on. He watched the two intently, eyes switching from one pair to the other. The one in modern clothes seemed unaware of the duo in front of them. Just as they were about to collide, he got up to his feet to stop them.  
  
The nurse pushing the old man walked straight through the nurse pushing the old lady and continued towards the hospital building.  
  
"What in heaven's name?" He gasped, stumbling back. The 'ghostly' duo stopped and both heads turned to look at him. He felt a scream bubbling in his throat and his lips and limbs trembled.  
  
Their eyes were empty.  
  
"You can see us!"  
  
Their voices were a mere wail, long and chilling.  
  
His eyes burned and he stumbled back, head swirling. The pain scattered throughout his body. He cried out in pain, his vision beginning to be blotched with black spots. Slowly, he felt everything go numb. He slumped forward, alerting everyone around him  
  
Sakuragi saw Mitsui staring at the nurse pushing the old man and frowned, holding two packets of juice. But when Mitsui began to cry out in pain, Sakuragi dropped the beverages he was holding and quickly rushed towards him. He knelt by his fainted friend and shook him. "Oi! Mitchy! Mitchy!" Doctors and nurses immediately came out and rushed him in to the hospital. "What's wrong with him?" Sakuragi demanded, but he got no answer.  
  
So instead, he waited in his room for Mitsui to come around.  
  
*  
  
Mitsui woke up with a splitting headache. He automatically headed for the bathroom and gagged, but did not vomit. His guts were doing summersaults and he was seeing doubles of everything. He splashed cold water on his face and dried it with a towel. Once his face was dried, he was about to hang the towel on its proper place when he frowned.  
  
Since when did the hospital give him blue towels? It was always the plain boring white ones.  
  
He shrugged and placed the towel back in its hanger. He headed out of the bathroom and towards his bed when he gaped. "Again?" He found the twins talking, Kiritani showing Kai pictures - the one on the bed. Kei was staring at her with fire in her eyes, arms crossed across her chest. "What's with these two? Ah!" He snapped his fingers. "I know! It's probably because this Kiritani guy is giving Kai more attention than Kei! The oldest story in the book. Jealousy!" He shook his had, a smile of amusement on his features.  
  
"When will I see big-brother?" Kai asked.  
  
"I have no idea. He's been dead busy." Kei answered with a shrug. "Bear with it. Doctor said you could get out tomorrow."  
  
"But -" Kai protested.  
  
"Stop whining already. Just do what Kiritani-san says and everything is going to be fine. We can find out why you can see things."  
  
"Yes, Kei." Kai said, nodding and proceeded to give Kiritani answers to his questions. It was still the same old psychological-test-crap.  
  
Mitsui stared at Kai, wondering why a girl like her never stood up for herself. Just then a knock sounded from the door and it opened. In stepped a six-foot tall man, with dark mop of black hair and had a pair of glasses perched on his sharp nose. He was dressed in black slacks and a white polo shirt, a dark green waistcoat with the logo of Kannagawa University stitched on it.  
  
"An-kun!" Kai said with glee, a smile gracing her features.  
  
"Ah! Good afternoon, Anzai-kun!" Kiritani greeted.  
  
Mitsui stared at the figure wide eyes. Before he could get a proper glimpse of the face, his eyes burned. He shut them tight and when he opened them he saw something totally different. He was in water, and he could see monitors glowing and thick pipes and electrical wiring. It was dark too and the water was cold. He was in some sort of glass tube - a big one. He banged his fists on the wall, searching for a place to surface. He was beginning to feel suffocated.  
  
Not taking it any longer, he gave out a loud yell, water filling his entire body.  
  
*  
  
Mitsui sat up with a loud gasp, inhaling deeply. He panted, and quickly his hands touched his body. He stared at himself, looking at his limbs and chest and heaved a sigh of relief. He was on his bed again, an IV fluid connected to his wrist. He buried his face in his hands and continued breathing heavily, eventually it slowed down.  
  
"A dream. Just a stupid dream." He told himself and looked up to check the time. It was four in the morning.  
  
He pushed the slightly damp covers away from him and got on his shaky feet, making his way to the bathroom. He stripped his damp clothes off and stepped under the shower, turning the cold tap on.  
  
He can see us!  
  
Why can he see us?  
  
Is he not like the other people?  
  
But he's alive.  
  
Why can he see us?  
  
If I wave, will he wave back?  
  
Mitsui covered his ears. He could hear voices - voices from the walls. He could no longer stand it. First he was seeing things, then he's getting weird dreams. But hearing voices? That's it! He doubted his own sanity. Just how much of his head was damaged when that darn blue car hit him anyway? Was the doctor right? Was it only his eyes that suffered a major damage? He fell in to a coma didn't he? Wasn't that caused by a major damage?  
  
Or was he going crazy?  
  
"I'm not crazy!" He whispered to himself, his arms shakily wrapping themselves around his lean frame. He fell on his knees, slumping forward, the cold sprinkle of the shower hitting his smooth back. "I'm not crazy."  
  
Why is he sad?  
  
Is he talking to himself?  
  
Is he crazy?  
  
Is he all right?  
  
Is he crazy?  
  
Why is he crying?  
  
"Stop it." He mumbled, shutting his eyes tight. "Go away. Go away."  
  
A knock on the bathroom door sounded and slowly it opened. A head cautiously popped in, and peeked inside. The door was then pushed wide open, hurried footsteps rushing towards the shower stall. "Oi!" It was a frantic whisper. "Mitchy! Oi!"  
  
Mitsui opened his eyes. "I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy!" He said in a panicked whisper.  
  
"Snap out of it!"  
  
He turned to look at the source of the voice and he stared at his friend blankly. "Sakuragi."  
  
*  
  
"Here." Sakuragi handed him a cup of warm tea.  
  
Mitsui was sitting on the single couch, dressed in a white robe. He had a blanket around him. He refused to lie on the bed, so Sakuragi fixed the soiled sheets and sat on it, watching the former-MVP take slow sips from his tea. Sakuragi had snuck out of his room and made his way to Mitsui's for he got no feedback after he fainted in the gardens. Being the curious tike that he was, he took the risk and left his room in the middle of the night. At first, he found the room empty, so he thought that Mitsui might have gone to the cafeteria for a snack. But when he heard the shower, he was most confused.  
  
"Why are you here?" Mitsui asked finally. He looked up from his cup of tea.  
  
"Well, for starters, I came to check on you. I never really knew what happened in the garden - why you fainted and all and I didn't get the chance to ask. Therapy is tiring you see?" Mitsui nodded. "Are you all right? Why were you -" Mitsui dropped his cup on the floor. "Geez! Mitchy! What's with you? You're shaking worst than a wet ferret." Sakuragi took several tissue papers from the tissue box on Mitsui's side table and wiped the spilled tea.  
  
"Sorry for the trouble." Mitsui mumbled, tightening the hold on his blanket around him.  
  
"Never mind the darn tea. What's with you?" Sakuragi asked, tossing the plastic cup in to the trash bin. He sat opposite Mitsui and studied the shooting guard's features. "You know, I've never seen you like this. A bit off? Know what I mean? Why? Is there something troubling you or what?"  
  
Mitsui looked at him and his lips parted to speak, but he looked away. "I don't know." He whispered.  
  
"You see?" Sakuragi said, throwing his hands in the air. "That's so not like you. Really Mitchy. Whatever it is, you better sort it out. It's wearing you down. How do you expect yourself to get well when you won't tell others what's wrong with you? If not to me, then tell Dr. Hajime."  
  
"No!" Mitsui said suddenly. Sakuragi jumped slightly. "I - I - I can't! I can't tell him! He'll - he'll -" Mitsui tightened his hold on his blanket, snuggling deeper in to the couch. He looked like a lost boy, cowering from something big and scary. "He - He won't believe me."  
  
"Why won't he believe you?" Sakuragi asked.  
  
"Because -" Mitsui looked away again.  
  
"Hey, let me tell you something." Sakuragi said. "It's kinda' funny, you see. When I first came here to this hospital - as in after I woke up from fainting and all, my back was killing me. Know what I mean? And I needed the loo bad. So I got up from bed, painful and shit, and headed for the bathroom. I did my business and washed my hands and face. This is going to sound totally freaky but I could have sworn someone was behind me. If you ask me, this hospital gives me the creeps. I mean, if it weren't for my back, I would have left already." Sakuragi waited for Mitsui's reaction. "That's just me. I mean, I didn't tell anyone about it until now. You won't go around telling people right?"  
  
"No." Mitsui said, shaking his head.  
  
"You believe me?" Sakuragi asked, eyes widening a bit.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because, I can hear and see things." Mitsui replied, looking straight in to Sakuragi's eyes.  
  
He's talking to him!  
  
He's telling him about us!  
  
What will the red one say?  
  
Do you think he'll be okay?  
  
I think he's a coward!  
  
No, I think he's just scared!  
  
Why? Because he can hear and see us?  
  
Maybe?  
  
But that means he's special.  
  
Not in his case.  
  
Why is he so sad?  
  
Why is he so afraid?  
  
Mitsui winced, tightening his blanket around him and covering his ears. He could hear them again. Whoever they are. Whatever they are. He just wished they would leave him alone. "What do you see? What do you hear?" Sakuragi asked, turning the lights up a little bit. I can't believe he fell for that little act. Mitchy, believing in ghosts? That does not go hand in hand. But he's so serious! I think I actually believe him. This hospital gives me the creeps too, anyway - Sakuragi's thoughts were racing.  
  
Mitsui told him.  
  
Everything.  
  
TBC 


	5. Part 5

Okay, so maybe this is a bit late, but a gazillion thanks to all those who stuck with me in this fic – all you lovely readers including Rumiko, Mayumi, Miyahara Yuuki, Keax, Nakkie, Megane-chan and everyone else! Thank you for your support and I hope you would continue reading this little mini-series! 

I'm trying to make it scarier – err … I don't know if it's working too well.

THE SPIRIT 5

"There's a shrine just in the next building where you can pray." Sakuragi said. "Do you want to go?"

"Yes." Mitsui nodded. 

"Come on then." Sakuragi said, motioning for him to follow him. After listening to his story, he did not know whether to run himself or just laugh. Who would have thought that Mitsui – Mr.-toughie-I'm-a-gangster would be scared of his own imagination? But Sakuragi, for some reason, believed him. It was kind of true anyway. Mitsui has changed in some sort of way ever since getting that knock on the head and nearly loosing his eyesight. He was a bit more open, less arrogant somehow. Still his sarcastic self and with the big ego, but not like before. 

Sakuragi believed him. 

After all, his aunt had a third eye.

The shrine was empty when they entered. Mitsui knelt in front of the jade Buddha statue and clasped his hands together in a prayer. He began to move his lips as he whispered his prayers, asking for protection. Sakuragi prayed too, but by the time he was done, Mitsui was still praying – frantically. Having nothing to do, he stared at the statue, marveling at the beauty of its smooth jade planes, the perfection of its carving, very precise and almost real. He lit an incense stick and watched as it burned. 

Mitsui clapped his hands twice before lighting an incense stick, placing it on the pot filled with golden sand, the burning top facing the heavens. He inhaled deeply and somewhat felt relieved. He felt safe in the shrine. "Feel better?" Sakuragi asked, looking at him.

"Yeah. Much better." Mitsui nodded, a smile gracing his slightly dry lips.

Sakuragi nodded and got to his feet. Mitsui followed suit and both of them bowed before the statue. Both turned to leave, heading for the door. Before Mitsui could take a step forward, he froze in his standing position. He grabbed Sakuragi's sleeve and stared wide eyes directly in front of him. There were people, dressed in plain clothes, four of the people wearing kimonos. All were kneeling with their hands clasped together in front of them, whispering prayers. 

"Oh god." Mitsui whispered, feeling his breath come out in jagged deep gasps. 

Sakuragi looked around him, seeing nothing. It was just an empty shrine, with the smell of sandalwood dancing in the air. There was nothing, save for maybe the dancing shadows from the small yellow lamps in the corners. "What? Can you see something?"

Mitsui opened his lips to speak, to tell Sakuragi what he was seeing. Just as he was about to, the group of people praying before him raised their empty gray eyes and shook their heads, holding a finger in front of their lips. 

_Don't speak._

_Don't speak._

_Don't speak._

_Don't speak._

_Don't speak._

Mitsui winced, having looked directly in to one of the many pairs of eyes. His eyes began to burn and tear. Shivering from fear and suddenly perspiring cold sweat, he gathered all his courage and made a run forward. He passed through all the people praying and rushed to his room, running blindly. 

"Oi! Oi! Mitchy!" Sakuragi said. He suddenly felt extremely cold. He looked around the empty shrine, the shadows shifting from his rapid movements from looking around frantically. He swallowed hard and forced himself to move from his suddenly frozen position. 

He suddenly felt extremely cold and jumping slightly, he ran out of the shrine and back to their ward. He found Mitsui entering his room, leaving his door to swing close by itself. He let himself in and found Mitsui on the couch, blanket over his head, shivering.

"I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy." It was a rapid mantra coming out of Mitsui's lips.

Sakuragi felt extremely sorry for him then and there. The once-proud boy now reduced to nothing but a shivering fit of bones made him wonder if there was anything he could do. He kneeled beside Mitsui, placing a hand on his shoulder. He pulled the blanket down from his senior's head and patted his shoulder. 

"I have an idea. Why not change rooms? You can stay with me. There's an extra bed. My roommate was moved up to ICU. Cancer treatment. You can take his place."

"Really?" Mitsui asked, eyes shimmering a darker blue under the dim light.

Sakuragi nodded, glad that somehow the shivers had reduced. "Yeah! That way, you don't have to be alone. Man, look at you! This is how you are on your own? Who can tell what may happen to you when no one is looking! At least I'll be there to help, you know?"

For the first time that entire evening, Mitsui smiled a smile of relief.

*

"Say what?" Dr. Hajime asked, looking at Mitsui. "You want to move with your friend?"

"Well, it is kind of lonely around here. And besides, it would be good for me. He can remind me of a few things that I need reminding of, know what I mean? And my moving in with him may help in keeping that area a bit quieter. I hear he's really loud when his food comes."

"True. True." Dr. Hajime said, nodding. He had just finished assisting him with his therapy. Lunchtime was over and the ward was more silent. "I guess it won't do anybody harm. You look like you could use some company." 

"Yeah." Mitsui nodded. You have no idea, he thought to himself.

"Very well!" Dr. Hajime said, nodding. "You will be able to move in tonight. I'll have that room ready and arranged. A nurse will come and guide you there. I'll have them take down your posters and hang it there. That all right?"

"Perfect!" 

*

That afternoon, his posters were taken down. The nurses told him that in about an hour or two, he would be transferred. They also said that they were arranging the room – since it was kind of in a mess. They said no more after that and Mitsui understood. 

Sakuragi and hospital does not go hand in hand.

He remained on the couch, blanket still over him. His bed sheets were taken away for washing along with the blanket. He was given a new one. Mitsui had finished his therapy that morning in a daze, for he was so sleepy. He had dark circles under his eyes and they were getting more visible each passing day. He wouldn't be surprised if people called him a panda once he was out of the hospital. He knew he looked terrible; he didn't need a mirror for that. 

Another reason was that he was also afraid of the mirror. Afraid of what he might see, hence he avoided it at all times. 

He sat on his little chair, clutching the blanket around his lithe frame (for he was shirtless since most of his clothes were in the Laundromat of the hospital for washing), staring out the window, when a knock sounded on his door. "Come in." He said, his voice cracking. He reached out for the bottle of water by his side and took a long swig at it. He heard footsteps approaching him and figured it was one of the nurses or maybe a group of them. So he did not really bother to turn around. They've been coming in and out the whole day anyway. Apparently, a new patient was going to take his place. He hoped that whoever he or she is, he or she would have more luck in case of sanity than he did. The room gave him the creeps.

"Mitsui-kun." 

Mitsui blinked and turned his head, long hair swishing. His eyes nearly popped out. Almost immediately, he got to his feet and apologized, his grip on the blanket loosening, baring his shoulders and his chest. "I – I'm sorry. I meant no disrespect, Anzai-sensei. I thought you and Mrs. Anzai were the nurses. They've been in and out of my room lately."

Anzai laughed heartily. "I see." He nodded.

"Oh, but son! Won't you catch a cold wearing no shirt?" Mrs. Anzai asked.

Mitsui flushed a bit and quickly wrapped his blanket around himself again. "Ah! No, no. Actually, all my clothes are in the Laundromat. I won't have any till tonight."                                                                         

"Oh you poor dear." Mrs. Anzai shook her head.

"Uh – uh –" Mitsui looked around and then gestured for his seat. "Please. Have a seat. I – I'll go get another –"

"That is not necessary. Mitsui-kun." Anzai said, shaking his head. "Standing is fine. We won't be here for long." Mitsui swallowed nervously, feeling suddenly very jumpy. He remained standing, slightly swaying on his feet. For some strange reason, he suddenly got an exploding headache. "Why don't you lie down, Mitsui-kun? You don't look very well."

One look at the bed sent shivers down his spine. "Uh – no thanks. I'll – I'll sit." He sat down, and pulled his knees to his chest, tightly wrapping his blanket around him. It was so cold so suddenly. 

"How are your eyes?" Mrs. Anzai asked, smiling at him.

"They're all right. Fine, actually. I can see clearly." He answered, nodding. 

"That's very good." Mrs. Anzai smiled again, this time one of relief. "When we heard, we were most worried." 

Mitsui felt his throat suddenly tighten, eyes tingling. He never had anyone to worry about him – the parental way. It made him feel so mushy inside, almost loved even. He looked down, eyes glistening with tears that he was holding back. "Really?"

"Of course, Mitsui-kun. I was very afraid that you might have lost your eye sight." Anzai said, approaching him and giving him a small smile. "But thank goodness that did not happen." Mitsui licked his lips and looked up. Anzai gave him a reassuring look. "Tell me, how is Sakuragi doing? The doctor tells me you are moving with him. We passed by his room but he is undergoing x-ray examinations now."

"Ah, Sakuragi." Mitsui shook his head. "He's doing great! We're always chatting and walking around. Nothing much to do around here." 

"Ah!" Mrs. Anzai clapped her hands together. "That is wonderful!" 

"Very wonderful." Anzai added, nodding.

Mitsui inhaled deeply and sighed. He felt a smile tug at his lips but it quickly faded when his vision suddenly blurred. He frowned and sat up straight, rubbing his eyes. He strained to look ahead, but it was getting very blurry. Panic was rising in him. "Mitsui-kun? Is everything all right?" 

Mitsui looked up and stared at the bed. His lips thinned in surprise. On the bed, Kai was lying down, head facing the window. He blinked and it was just a bed once again, without a pillow, sheets and blankets. He frowned, for now, his vision was suddenly clear again. He rubbed his eyes and then looked up at Anzai. "I'm all right." He still had a frown.

"Are you sure?" Anzai asked, now worried. "Maybe the doctor should take a look at you."

"No, no. Really, I'm okay." He said, shaking his head. He looked at Anzai for some time before his lips parted to speak. "Anou – Anzai-sensei, did you know anyone by the –" He stopped dead, eyes widening when he saw a person standing behind Anzai.

It was Kai.

"Mitsui-kun?" Mrs. Anzai asked, looking at him with a very worried expression. "Are you quite all right?"

Mitsui kept staring at Kai, who smiled at him, eyes glimmering. She held a finger to her lips and slowly shook her head. She then took a step back and slowly faded. Mitsui blinked and turned to look at Mrs. Anzai. "I'm fine. Just – just a sudden memory flash." He blinked several times, running shaking fingers through his long hair, pushing them back. "I – I was just about to ask if you – you spoke to Sakuragi anytime before today. He – He looks like –" He suddenly sighed and buried his face in his hands. 

It was too much!

"Mitsui-kun." Mrs. Anzai stood beside him and placed gentle hands on his shoulders. He looked up to meet her blue-gray gaze and swallowed. "Don't worry. What you should do is gather all your strength and get well soon."

Mitsui suddenly wished his mother and father were there. He desperately needed paternal and maternal support. He was breaking down fast and in to a million pieces. He's been conscious for five days, and he would leave in two days, but in such time he already doubted his own sanity. 

"Let it out, Mitsui-kun. Let out your troubles." Anzai said, standing beside him, placing a hand on his back.

Mitsui refused to break down in front of them. He looked at his hands. All the things he saw, all the things he's been through, they suddenly came crashing down on him. He bit his lower lip, tears dropping down his cheeks on his blanket in large crystal drops. "I – I –" He hung his head, shoulders now shaking with silent sobs. "I can't take it anymore!"

Mrs. Anzai, knelt in front of him and in a motherly way, cradled his head in her arms. He cried like a child. He did not know how long he remained beside Mrs. Anzai, in the maternal warmth that she radiated, but for once, he felt safe from all the demons that has been haunting him so far.

*

"He fell asleep." Mrs. Anzai said, running her fingers through Mitsui's soft long hair.

"The poor boy. Nobody deserved to go through what he's going through. Not in his age." Anzai shook his head, pulling the blanket over Mitsui's bare shoulders. 

The doctors and male nurses came in. "Oh dear. He must be really tired. He hasn't been sleeping ever since he woke up." Dr. Hajime said, checking Mitsui's pulse and temperature. He was carried on a stretcher and given another round of IV fluid. "He hasn't been eating much as well."

"Oh my." Mrs. Anzai said, gasping. "Is that so?"

Dr. Hajime shook his head. "He'll be in a new room now, Sakuragi's room. I'm sure both of you are familiar with it. Room 1402." 

"Yes, indeed." Anzai said, nodding. 

Mitsui was wheeled out of the room and taken to Sakuragi's where he was gently lifted and placed on the bed. He was sound asleep, that not even all the movement roused him. His fatigue and state of mind was running him down, that both Mr. and Mrs. Anzai worries doubled. Mitsui had no parents, just like Sakuragi, which is why both of them made a point to come twice a week to check on the two.

"We better get going. It's getting late. Would you kindly pass a message to both Mitsui and Sakuragi that we will come the day after?" Anzai requested.

"Most certainly." Dr. Hajime replied. 

The elder couple left, silently walking down the hospital halls, looking extremely worried.

*

The bed he was lying on was cold and hard – almost metallic. He gave out a low groan of pain, since his head was pounding and his eyes behind the closed lids were slightly irritating. He brought a hand to his closed lids and rubbed them, trying to ease away a bit of the irritation. It was itchy – real bad. He gave out a light cough and knew immediately that he was coming down with a cold. Maybe I should have borrowed a shirt from Sakuragi or something, he thought to himself and forced his eyes to open. 

He winced at the sudden brightness the overhead white light was radiating. He was on a cold metal table, and beside him a tray on a high metal trolley with all sorts of instruments. He looked around and saw pipes – lots of pipes – and thick electrical cables. He got down on his feat and felt the rough textures of the concrete ground. Little pebbles and graphite bits dug into the skin of his feet as he walked around. He suddenly stopped and came face to face with a huge cylindrical water tank. It was empty and it had electrical cables attached to it, beside it a computer that was switched off. 

The place suddenly felt extremely cold to him and could feel eyes prodding at the back of his neck. He brought his arms around himself, shivering involuntarily. He circled the cylindrical glass and came to a stop, placing a palm on the spherical planes of the clear fiberglass. He heard a loud crash behind him and turned around. He found the twins chasing one and other. He did not know who was who, but one of them was clearly angry with the other. They were shrieking, until one of them caught the hair of the one she was chasing and began to charge towards him. He immediately stepped aside and watched with horror as the angry twin rammed the victimized twin on the surface of the cylindrical glass. A cry of pain shattered his eardrums. The poor girl fell crumpled to the floor, hands covering her face. The other sauntered off from where she appeared from and never came back. Mitsui remained rooted to the spot, watching her nurse her bleeding nose and cut lip. 

She looked up at him, as if in cry for help. She grabbed his legs and he jumped with a start, trying to shake her off. Her lips moved in sync with the words that she was mumbling out, but he could hear nothing.

He could only hear the sound of water rushing in his ears. He closed his eyes and gave his leg one hard pull. He lost his balance and fell, but nothing solid came in contact with his body.

Instead, he was in water and ahead of him he could see blood. Blood dripping – lots of it, but it was not merging with the water. 

Through the crimson haze he looked further, the need for air getting to him. He banged his fists in front of him, meeting the surface of fiberglass. 

A loud bang sounded and in front of him was the face of the twin, half of its skin gone, an eye hanging out and mouth opened in a twisted manner, showing gaps of missing teeth with a tongue sickeningly sticking out in some sort of sick mocking gesture.

Mitsui gave a loud yell of fear.

TBC  


	6. Part 6

THE SPIRIT 6 

Mitsui found himself screaming in his bed, tossing and turning while his fists swung in panicking motions in front of him, as if he were combating a demon. Hands grabbed his and pinned them by his head a pair of chocolate colored eyes loomed over him. His screaming stopped, seeing the familiar face of his red head teammate. 

"It's a nightmare, it's okay. No need to be fighting air molecules." Sakuragi said, giving him a reassuring smile, hoping to lighten the mood. He was sitting sideways, his torso directly above Mitsui while he held his hands down. He released him and grabbed the bottle of water by the table handing it to him once he was sitting up. Mitsui took long gulps of the cool drink. Sakuragi stood up to take out a small towel from the bathroom shelf and handed one to him, which Mitsui used to wipe off the cold sweat forming on his temples, forehead and neck. "You woke me up. Your screams scared me."

Just as the line flew out of Sakuragi's mouth a nurse popped in to the room. "Is everything all right here?"

"Yes. My roommate was just having a nightmare." Sakuragi said. "He's okay. Nothing to worry about."

The nurse nodded, reassured. "Should there be any problem, just page us by the desk." She left without another word.

Sakuragi turned on the lampshade, the room suddenly illuminated and shadows released from their dark corners. He took the towel and empty bottle of water and disposed of it. 

"Six o'clock. Six dreams." Mitsui brought his hands to his face, rubbing the tired muscles. "God, I'm going nuts."

Sakuragi did not press him on the matters. "Don't worry. They're just dreams, they can't hurt you. Just forget about it." Mitsui wished a thousand times that it were that simple. "Ah! But here's a thought for you. The doctor told me that disks on my spinal cord are in line perfectly again. Just one more week of therapy and I'm out of here, of course that doesn't mean I would stop taking oral medication, but heck I'll bear with it as long as I'm out of here!" 

"Really?" Mitsui suddenly grinned, feeling for the first time glad that his redhead teammate was going to come out of this forsaken-place they were currently stuck in. "That's great news! Really, I'm glad for you! You will be able to play again right?"

"Well, he said I can, but I should limit myself to half an hour for the next one month. Just to get my bones – especially my back – accustomed to heavy work. Gets?" He said, rubbing the back of his head, grinning happily. 

"That's probably one of the best things I've heard since I woke up!" Mitsui said, and they both laughed.

None could go back to sleep. Mitsui, for one, dared not to. He was afraid of what he might dream again, and that sight of the disfigured bloody face pressed harshly against the fiberglass was etched on his memory that he refused to look at any glass surface. He kept his eyes fast down, for whenever he looked at anything that was glass, he could see the face. He never felt so jumpy and so afraid of his own mind before. 

Both watched TV till their therapy began. 

They never saw each other till the late afternoon of that rainy day.

*

He was dead tired. He did not understand how a few minutes on a treadmill with electrodes attached to your chest could be so exhausting. Plus – flash news! The doctor said that on of his arteries coming to his heart has constricted. That was a shock to him – and as if he needed anymore. The day passed by in a daze because the fact that he had a heart problem has not sunk in completely. The funny thing was, he never felt any pain his chest or showed any symptoms that may lead to a heart problem. But a full body scan that morning showed that he was on his way to heart-disease-lane. 

"Heart problems?" Sakuragi cocked an eyebrow, watching as Mitsui rubbed his chest towards the left hand side. "That's weird. I mean, I wasn't expecting something like that. I mean you play basketball and you're not even over weight!"

"I don't know. The doctor can't even point out why I have such a problem." He sighed, taking in a shaky breath. 

"Weird. Really weird." Sakuragi shifted his weight on the bed. "So you've packed your stuff right?" Mitsui nodded. "Bet you can't wait to get home huh?"

"Not really." Mitsui said. "Being alone is the last thing I want to do right now." 

Sakuragi understood why.

*

Mitsui refused to sleep at all last night. He purposely drank two cups of sugar-less black coffee just so that he could stay awake. He did not want to have any more nightmares. Doctor said that he should avoid stress and those nightmares were enough stress to boost up his ageing speed. Sakuragi was snoring on the bed beside him, oblivious to nearly everything. Well, except perhaps for the stuffed brown bear he was currently hugging and probably squeezing the life out of it. He had laughed his butt off when he saw that bear. He immediately stopped laughing when Sakuragi said that it was the first gift his mother gave him before she past away. The only gift, because she died before he could turn one. 

Now, all he did was stare at the ceiling. He thought of turning on the TV and watching reruns on a few anime, but he respected Sakuragi and so he did not. Instead, he listened to the Discman Sakuragi lent him. It was now giving him a warning that the batteries were going to go out. A few minutes later, he was lying there again with nothing else to do.

A grumble in the stomach made him grunt. He had not eaten anything that day. He got up from his bed and pulled on a bathrobe over his pajamas and headed for the hospital's cafeteria. It was deserted – considering that it was already two in the morning – save for the plump bald man watching a replay of the FIFA world cup (Brazil VS Germany). He ordered a sandwich before leaving the man to his TV. He hungrily devoured it while he was in the elevator. When the door opened, a nurse pushing a cart saw him chewing, a piece of lettuce hanging down his chin. She gave him a look of disapproval, before he stepped out and entered his ward. By then, he finished his sandwich and tossed the plastic wrapper into the wastebasket by the nurse's desk. 

Once inside the room, he padded to his bed and lay down on his side. He was looking at the window, beside it was a poster of Michael Jordan doing a dunk. Sakuragi adored Michael Jordan because of his fantastic dunks. He tried doing them too, only majority of the times he did, he ended up getting a swollen head from banging it repeatedly on the basketball ring board. He smiled at the memory and snuggled deeper on to his pillow. He suddenly frowned. He could hear sprinkling of water – in the garden's maybe? No, it was a bit rougher. _Tap water – the showers!_ Mitsui's mind screamed. The sound reminded him of the times he shared with his teammates after a heated game or a rough practice when they would be in the showers, tossing the bar soap around and passing the bottle of shampoo. He smiled and closed his eyes again. 

The sound footsteps walking on water replaced the sound of the shower.

_Ah yes!_ He thought. _When the good ol' boys would be clambering out of the shower room and getting dressed_. He was feeling sleepy now. A sigh escape his tired lips. A prickling sensation was upon his back. Something wet was dripping on to his pajamas. His eyes opened and he frowned once more. He reached out for the back of his arm and touched it. It was wet, a bit slippery – like soap. 

Soap? 

He was frowning even more, disturbed. There were more wet drips falling upon the sleeve of his pajama and it did not stop for the next few minutes. He shifted, slowly turning to his side. He found a hand – a pale white hand with long pianist's fingers wrapped around a white bar of soap. It was being handed to him. He could feel his breath come out in quick gasps. Slowly, he raised his eyes and found a pair dark hollow ones staring down at him, through a curtain of long dark hair that was also wet – thickly wet – and it was dripping on the floor and sheets. He looked down at the sheets and found crimson drops marring the whiteness. 

"No." He said, shaking his head. "You're not real." He looked up, hatred in his eyes. "You're not real!"

She was still holding out the soap to him and this time she gave it a little thrust. And drop it in to his hands. "You hold your heart in your hands. As you did mine." 

Mitsui frowned and looked at his hands. He found a beating heart in the middle of his hand, and quickly dropped it, scrambling back and falling from his bed. He did not know he was screaming. The heart was white, the blue-violet veins protruding like tree roots from its white meat, the somewhat lout lub-dup sound deafening in his ears. His left arm was beginning to go numb. He could vaguely see the girl moving around the bed and straddling him, wrapping her thing fingers around her neck.

"You liar! You said we were equal halves! Half of the school is mine! Half of the school is mine!" She gnashed out.

"No! No!" Mitsui gasped, feeling pain in his chest. "No!" 

*

His eyes shot open and he sat up with a loud yell, his left arm slightly numb and Sakuragi gripping his shoulder. Almost immediately his head whipped on to the other side of the bed, which was above him and floor cold, expecting to find the beating heart lying there. All he saw was clean disinfected gray floors. He swallowed the lump in his throat then looked up at Sakuragi. 

"I – I'm sorry. A dream." He mumbled, bringing a hand to his temple. "A bad dream."

"Want to talk about it?" Sakuragi asked, meaning well.

"No. I – I don't. Not just yet." He shook his head as he spoke the words out loud. 

Sakuragi nodded. "Well, better get off the floor then. I woke up when you fell. You knocked the vase down." He gestured to crystal vase that was now lying in pieces. Mitsui apologized and shakily got up, not sitting on the bed, but taking the couch. A hand came up to his chest, just where his heart was and he began to rub it gently. It was beating hard under his ribcage, beneath his fingertips. "Are you all right? You're so – so pale. Maybe I should call the doctor."

"No." He said immediately, shaking his head. "You don't have too. Just a little bit shaken from what – what I saw."

"What did you see? Man, I've never seen you like this!" Sakuragi said in a frustrated manner.

"Could you turn on the ceiling lights then?" Mitsui asked. 

*

Mitsui was dressed and ready to go home. He was planning to go on his own, but Sakuragi refused to let him go on his own. So, Mito Youhei popped in half an hour before Mitsui was supposed to leave and gave him a cheeky little grin.

"I'll be your chauffeur today monsieur." He said, saluting him, more in a mocking manner than teasing or joking. He and Youhei never really got along – and never did since that incident at the gym.

"What?" Mitsui looked at Sakuragi, who was finishing his fruit yogurt. "You called him – of all people – to take me home?"

"Hey!" Youhei said, protesting.

"Well, he's my best friend. He won't do anything to you. I mean, he's not a sadist – right Youhei?" Youhei frowned at Sakuragi as an answer. "Besides, he's got a scooter. For starters, you haven't got cash with you right now, plus I gave him the keys to your apartment so that he can get it cleaned for you."

"You. Gave. Him. My. Apartment. Keys?" Mitsui said ever so slowly. Youhei pulled out said keys from his jean pocket and waved it at him. He then tossed it in his direction, which he caught easily. "You didn't steal anything did you?"

"No. Nothing worth stealing. Though I must compliment you on your wonderful collection of porn. You even have the 'completely sold out' issue that was released six months ago. None of us could even get a hand on it. I heard it sold out on the first day itself." Youhei shrugged. 

"You!" Mitsui howled, turning red immediately. "You touched my porn! That was my favorite! How dare you?" Youhei blinked. "And you!" He turned to Sakuragi and pinched his ears, causing the red head to yelp. "This is your entire doing! You nosy little git! What else did you tell him to do?"

"Well, nothing. Just that I guess." Youhei said, shrugging. "Come on, senior. Let's get you home." Youhei picked up Mitsui's sportsbag and left the room. "See ya' Hanamichi!" 

Sakuragi waved a hand. Mitsui gave him a death glare before heading for the door. "You're not mad are you?"

Mitsui left the room, slamming the door. Sakuragi sighed, feeling suddenly unwanted and horrible. He stared at his hands, not really intending to upset the now pissed-off shooting guard. The door suddenly opened and Mitsui's head popped. "I'll bring you something tomorrow." His head was then gone. 

Sakuragi then threw his head back, laughing.

*

Mitsui found his house – well what could he say? – clean. Clean and empty. There was no sign of life anywhere and it was spotless. Youhei went directly in to his room and placed his bag down by the foot of the bed. The sheets were clean, the curtains washed and pressed, the carpets vacuumed. He opened the closet and found that all his clothes were inside, hanged and folded, all of them ironed.

"Hey thanks." Mitsui said, turning to Youhei.

"Hey come on." He said shoving his hands in to his jean pockets. "It's the least we could do." Silence hand upon the both of them, Youhei sighed. "Look, I know we did not really get along at the beginning and stuff, but you really had us all worried. I mean it." Mitsui's lips twitched to a smile. "Sakuragi tells me you want to get a haircut? I know a friend who can give you what you want for a good price."

"Yeah?" 

"Well, that is if you want." He shrugged again.

"Lead the way." 

*

Mitsui could feel the wind on his face and the back of his neck. He got it cropped, and now, when he looked at the mirror, he could see his once handsome face, eyes hollow than normal. "Ah! Good to feel the air again."

"Suits you better than the long one. I swear, you look like you're wearing a wig." Youhei said, shaking his head. Mitsui burst out laughing. It was pretty funny, because he remembered Tetsuo saying the same thing long time ago. "Hey I'm starved. I bet you are too. I mean, you look like you could fit in to a girl's uniform." Mitsui threw him a dirty look. "Want to eat pizza? I think I have enough cash with me now."

"You're paying?" Mitsui asked, raising an eyebrow. 

"Yeah." Youhei said. "Hey, you got cable in your apartment. I'll call for pizza and we'll watch a movie. That all right?" 

"Fine with me." Mitsui shrugged.

Once in the apartment, with the box of pizza and the movie starring Pamela Anderson on the twenty-one inch screen TV, they enjoyed each other's company even more. Mitsui learned that Youhei was not such a bad guy, In fact, he was pretty cool and he could see why Sakuragi enjoyed hanging out with this guy. 

He tossed the last pizza crust in to the open box and took a long swig from the can of Sprite he had beside him. "Be right back." He said and got to his feet, heading for the bathroom to wash his hands. He was soaping his hands then rinsing them when he suddenly felt his eyes burn again. Frowning, he bent over the sink and rinsed his eyes with water. He was hissing as the burning sensation grew more. He did not know how long he's been rinsing it but gradually the pain went away. He groped for the towel by the hanger and dried his face with it. He stood his full height and dried his neck as well. He looked around him, blinking several times, for the entire bathroom was filled with steam. He looked about and tried to clear the mirror before him. He stopped when he felt his toes dipped in water. He looked down and saw crimson water flooding the bathroom floor. He approached the bathtub and found it filled with thick red liquid. Feeling fear rise in his throat, he turned around to run outside, to go to Youhei, to ask for help – to be with someone who is not a figment of his imagination. 

A pair hands grabbed him by the front of his face as soon as he turned around and pulled him down. "Youhei!" He yelled out loud, before falling in to a sea of red. He began to struggle to get up from his own bath tub – he even made sure he had a nice long blue one – but in vain. Someone was on top of him, straddling him and there were hands around his neck. Black hair floated all around him and when he opened his eyes, he found a wrinkled skin of a girl staring down at him, an eye missing and mouth open in a snarl.

"Youhei!" He yelled out in the water, before the gray face that was blotched with brown moldy spots and wrinkled from being in water too long snarled loudly in his face.

TBC

Well, dear readers. I tried to cut back on scary stuff (simply because my mind is completely dry). I want to thank everyone for reading – issei, Rumiko, Mayumi, Miyhara Yuuki and all the new reviewers! I love you guys all! Hope this ain't too scary. I am still thinking about the YAOI part, but the chances are low. I guess because I want to show more love in friendship and teamwork rather than love, love. But we'll see okay? I might make two endings, or I might not. Still pending. I think there will be around about six more chapters, or I might drag it up till fourteen – Mitsui's number.

Once again, thanks for reading! I love you all! 


	7. Part 7

Warning: Swearing. Lot's of them. What do you expect when you have two gangsters together (though one of them is an ex-gangster)? Just thought I'd warn you guys! Thanks to all the readers – MWAH! I love you guys! 

THE SPIRIT 7 

Youhei dashed for the bathroom as fast as his two legs could carry him. Reaching the white door of the bathroom he banged his fists upon it. "Mitsui! Mitsui!" He called out, and when he got no reply, he felt his heart race. It was drumming so loudly in his ears that he thought that he would go deaf from fear. He frantically twisted the knob and when it did not budge and he did the only thing he could do.

He kicked the door down.

Said door sung open wide with the sheer force he applied to it. He stepped in and his feet made loud sloshing noises. Blinking, he looked at the floor, which was beginning to flood with water. If possible, his heart went faster. He turned to look at the bathtub and took a step back, hands flying up to the back of his head. He began to fret. 

"Oh geez! Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit!" He covered his mouth with his hand and felt his chest ache. When Sakuragi told him to keep a eye on the senior, he did not say that he would be a hazard to himself! He did say though, that he saw things. This – this sight before him – was not in the job description. 

Coming back to his senses, he forgot his fear and dropped down on his knees by the bathtub, He turned the tap off – that was turned on to its fullest – and hauled Mitsui from out of the water. His front got drenched, but he did not seem to notice. He just wanted to get the senior out of the tub and when he did, he panicked even more. Mitsui's shirt was ripped in half and his neck was slashed or scratched rather. Youhei studied the cuts, not that deep, but deep enough to draw blood that could dye the tub red. There were lots of it and no doubt some were deeper than others. He was lying there on the tiled bathroom floor unconscious. 

"Mitsui?" He called out, tapping his face. "For crying out loud! Wake up!" He ran shaky fingers through his now messy hair. His bangs were all over his face now. "Oh rats!" He pumped his chest and when nothing happened, he administered CPR. At his second try, Mitsui jolted awake and turned to his side, coughing out stained water – his blood. He lay like that for a few seconds, before he sat up abruptly and moved away from the bathtub.

"Oh geez!" He said, fear evident in his face. Youhei steadied him when he began to fall in to a fit of shivers. His hands flew around his neck and when he studied his fingers, which were stained red, the tough exterior that he had all the time melted away in a blink of an eye and he began to panic. "Oh my god! That thing!" He was shaking harder now, and he turned so pale that Youhei thought he was a mere corpse. It was scaring the living day lights out of him and yet he wanted to help him. "That thing is real! It's real! It's fucking real!" He yelled out loud and wrapped his arms around his head, shielding himself from whatever that had assaulted him. 

Youhei bit his lower lip. He had no clue what he was talking about, but he knew what he should do. He got to his feet and pulled the massive plush towel from the rack and wrapped it around his shoulders. "Come on, Mitsui. Let's get you dry." 

Mitsui held on to his arm as Youhei led him to his room and took out dry clothes for him. He waited until Mitsui finished dressing up before taking the wet clothes and taking them to the bathroom. He brought the first aid kit with him and attended to the cuts on his neck before giving him two aspirins. 

"You should get some sleep." Youhei suggested.

"No!" Mitsui yelled, startling the poor freshman out of his wits. Mitsui was on his feet and pacing the room. "I am not going to sleep! If I even close my eyes for just one minute, that – that –" He gave an angry cry and faced the vacant wall. He began to punch it over and over again. "I don't deserve this! Is this punishment? What on earth – why? Why? Why me?" He gave it a violent punch that the concrete cracked.

"Whoa!" Youhei grabbed his hands before he could throw another punch. "Easy! You don't want to break your hands. You're ready to give up basketball or something?" 

That stopped Mitsui. Youhei released his hands and took a step back. Mitsui leaned forward against the wall, touching his forehead to it. He shut his eyes, feeling tears prick at them. He felt like such a total looser.

"Hey! I know." Youhei plastered a grin on his face, hoping to lighten Mitsui's mood. "Why don't you stay with me at my place? I mean, my mom is out of town and my dad is on a business trip to China. My elder siblings are in University, hostel and stuff. We can hog the Playstation." Mitsui turned to look at him. "That is if you want to. Umm – there's also a basketball court a block away from where I live." 

Mitsui felt his fears leave him. He returned the grin. 

*

Mitsui stared at the ring, the ball in his hands. Inhaling deeply, he threw in a three pointer and it entered the net less ring without touching the rim. 

"Well, nice to see that you haven't lost your touch." Youhei said, sitting Indian-style on the concrete floor, as he watched Mitsui toss the ball from all around the three-pointer line. "The team has been eagerly waiting for your recovery. And Sakuragi's of course." The boy sighed, tilting his head up to its fullest, exposing smooth skin of his neck. 

"Are they?" Mitsui asked, more of sarcasm. He was not in a good mood. And unless the crazy things that has been happening to him would stop, his bad mood would probably stay. Perhaps even permanently.

"Hey come on." Youhei said, turning his attention to the senior. He took note of the sarcasm. "Everybody does miss you, you know?" Mitsui turned to look at him, those dark blue orbs piercing holes in to him. The stare had been so intense the Youhei turned to look away, his face tinting a light shade of pink. "Why are you so worked up anyway? Aren't you glad that you're awake?"

Mitsui dribbled the ball before angrily tossing it in to the ring. It made a loud DANG before entering the hoop silently. "No." He answered, walking over to the ball that was rolling away towards the street. "If you know what I've been going through, you'd wish you remained in a coma." Youhei looked up at him in a startled manner, watching as he picked up the ball and began to dribble it again. 

"You don't mean that." 

"I." Bounce. "Mean." Bounce. "Every." Bounce. "Fucking." Bounce. "Word." Bounce. He threw it at the board angrily, which retaliated by hitting the rim before slowly rolling around it. It then fell off, not entering the net and rolled away. He felt his nerves clench and blood boil. He was angry and his eyes bore holes at the night sky. Youhei watched Mitsui fight the inner anger burning within himself. Mitsui's fist kept curling and uncurling, probably ready to punch the nearest thing. 

"You know, I'm kinda' hungry." Youhei said, patting his stomach. Though they just had a pizza, his stomach was demanding for some attention. Maybe it was the turn of events that night. Maybe due to his panic, his stomach contracted faster than its normal digestion speed. It was a stupid thought, but it was the only reason he could come up with. 

Mitsui forgot his anger for a while at the slightly off topic words that came out of Youhei's mouth – and that was what Youhei was aiming for. "What?" Mitsui asked, amusement lacing his voice.

"I said I'm hungry. I don't know why. I just want to eat." He rubbed his growling stomach. 

Mitsui sighed about to spit out something witty when his stomach gave out a rather disgraceful growl. He grinned sheepishly at Youhei, who laughed good naturedly and got to his feet. "Well, that's two of us then." Mitsui continued grinning.

"Come on. I'll fix us something to eat." Youhei said, gesturing for him to follow his steps back home.

Once at home, Youhei went to the kitchen and took out everything he could find. Mitsui excused himself and went to the living room, turning on the TV. When Youhei came out bearing two trays filled with food good enough to feed six soldiers, he found Mitsui leaning against the armrest of the couch, staring lazily at the cheesy soap opera.

"You watch that crap?" Youhei asked, setting the trays down on the coffee table in front of the green couch that his mother chose. Really, the whole house was the definition of green. It was like being in a garden or something and that probably was the concept, considering his mother enjoyed nature. 

"There's nothing on TV." He sighed, and sniffed. One look at the tray was enough to make his mouth water. Spring rolls, French fries, hamburgers, nuggets, cake, and two cans of coke – heck, what more could one want? "Whoa!" He said, staring at the trays. "You made those? All of those?"

Youhei shrugged. "Yeah, except the cake. Mom made that and there was some left in the fridge. Eat up." He picked his burger and bit in to it. 

"Hmm!" Mitsui chewed on his burger, before picking a French fry and popping it into his mouth. "Just how much do I have to pay for you to make me lunch everyday for school?"

Youhei laughed. "Why, sempai! You enjoy my cooking?" 

"Can I live here?" He asked, not looking at Youhei, but grabbing a nugget instead. "I could really get used to this."

"Why I am flattered, sempai!" Youhei said, grinning, taking some of the fries. "Why, I won't be surprised if you asked me to marry you." 

"Marry me." He said, looking up, staring in to Youhei's eyes seriously. Youhei choked on his burger, staring at Mitsui's serious eyes. 

"W-What? Come on, man. I didn't mean it. I – I was joking." Youhei blanched even more when Mitsui set his food down and got on his knees.

"Mito Youhei." Mitsui said, face definitely serious. Youhei felt his breath catch in his throat. "Would you do me the honor of being my soul mate for the rest of our lifetimes?" 

Youhei flushed – and a very, very heavy flush it was. He trembled and nearly dropped his burger on the floor. Suddenly, Mitsui cracked out laughing, getting back to his normal sitting position on the couch. "What the fuck was that for?" Youhei snapped, but still trembling from the shock.

"Man, you should have seen the look on your face. It was priceless." Mitsui continued laughing, clutching his sides. "I don't swing that way. But Sakuragi did play a prank like this before." Youhei quirked a dark brow. "He said that when he first saw me, long hair and stuff, he said that if he were a girl he would be head over heals for me."

"I can see why." Youhei said, eyeing Mitsui up and down. 

"Stop looking at me that way." Mitsui growled, not enjoying one bit the way the junior was eyeing him, and his eyes lingering on his – shit! He mentally cursed. "Hey!" He snapped.

"What?" Youhei asked, tilting his head to one side. "Can't I appreciate beauty from here?" Mitsui blushed, and that made Youhei double up in laughter. "Hah! You fell for that!"

Mitsui rolled his eyes, tossing a throw pillow at Youhei's face. "Idiot."

"Humph! You're the one going on your knees and proposing." Youhei picked up his burger from his plate and continued eating.

"But seriously Youhei." He said, grinning at the boy. "How much do I have to pay you to get this everyday?"

TBC

There! No scary stuff! See? I'm nice! So what do you guys think? Think about this as a development between Youhei and Mitsui. Believe me, they both need each other now. Really! Ha! Ha! 


End file.
